> > _BUT_ all these people that want to use Linux ask sometimes for help> outside their vendor contracts, they get told exactly this: "Go away> where. You're not using the "one true source from kernel.org". They're> more locked it with their "open software" than people that use> windows. Because if they ask for help in a M$ support forum, they get> help. Sometimes (most of the times) they have to pay for it but> they're willing to pay. That's the point. They're willing to pay for> help and they don't want to hear "fuck off and get xxx Linux instead> of yyy Linux". Or "fuck off and use zmailer, only idiots still use> sendmail".

Microsoft is no better. MS don't provide all the software thatruns on windows. Get some product (say, a word processor) thatcompetes with with MS office. Then go try getting help whenthat word processor have trouble with your new printer.MS: "Get word instead, only idiots use that word processor. Or try a different printer. Maybe the vendor has a newer driver."Printer vendor: "must be a sw problem, it works fine with office"Word processor vendor: "It works fine with hundreds of printers, use something other than that screwball printer of yours."Been there, done that.

> Or "Recompile your kernel. Check out kernel v2.3.99pre7-ac8 with the> latest patch from Andrea Arcangeli" (And most of the times they as> themselves, who is this Andrea-gal anyway? ;-) (SCNR))"Nothing wrong with this advice. Of course the company that preferpaying for support will simply not see it, the guy they pay forsupport will be the one who collect such advice and implement it.

> Look at the ECN discussion. Look at the NFS discussion. Look at the IP> fragmentation discussion. Most non-technical people don't want to hear> "you can't connect from your company proxy to hotmail because they're> braindead with their firewalls and don't wanna listen". They hear thisBut you can connect. Your support guy simply have to turn off ECN.Distributors don't ship ECN kernels anyway, they aren't stupid. It isa default only for those who compile their own kernel.

> The state of driver for printing or font rendering on the desktop is> terrible. You may rant about M$ all the time, but if I buy a new> printer, I get a driver which produces printouts like on my screen and> like my last printer. I get all the nifty features supported that this> printer has.Linux surely don't support all the printers out there. This fact is no more problem than the fact that "windows don'trun on ARM, 68040, S/390, and a lot of other platforms linux runs on"

A company buy intel compatible machines for running windows. And theybuy one of the well-supported printers if they want a linuxprint server. Go for a postscript printer, or one of those withgood ghostscript support. Not a problem at all.